You Guys Are Going To Love This One... (Long)
Decorating By Gingoodies Updated 31 Oct 2006 , 7:33pm by birdgirl
I recently did a cake for a customer for her daughter's birthday party. We had back and forth discussions about this cake. She likes a particular kind of cake from a bakery in NY. She wants to know could I duplicate this cake etc etc. Well, I told her NO! If she wants that cake she should go to that bakery and get it. I don't have any problems with that. BUT NOOOO.. she wants my cake.. I am highly recommended.. 
Sooo, she decides on a flavor and decoration and now to the size.. She wants what we commonly call around here a 3/4 sheet cake. Which is 2 11x15 cakes side by side. No problem. She was familiar with the size and requested it particularly. She picked up the cake.. loved the design... off she went to the party. I finished up my work and went out shopping for the afternoon. When I got home.. there was a message on my voicemail from this customer. Here comes the good part 
She says.... " Hi, I was wondering if I could come by? I have at least 1/2 the cake left over, and I was wondering if you could re-ice the sides and fix up the top a little so I can use the rest for my family party tomorrow. 
Needless to say.. I DID NOT return that phone call.. and was I glad I was out!! 
the nerve this lady is trash!!! you don't do that,
Hey- you can't blame her for trying! At least she didn't try to rip you off claiming "the cake was terrible and give me my money back"! I don't blame you for ignoring the call, but I am opportunistic and would have charged a "resurfacing fee"!!!
Amber
Now me I would have said "sure"..I will be happy to re-do for a charge.That way she would have been paying for your time and she would have got what she wanted.Everyone would be happy and she more than likely would have re-ordered from you.Sometimes you just have to bend in the wind.
I don't see anything wrong with that. I would have done it...for a charge of course. 
Okay...maybe I'm alone here, but.. I think it's a compliment that she thought it tasted so great that she wanted to save the rest of the cake for her family to taste! I don't think I would do it because of liability issues not knowing how it was handled and stored. (your rep would be at stake there). But I can see why she would come back to you, especially with half left. Maybe a courtesy call is in order here anyway. JMO.
If you had redone the cake, where would your legalities come in? It has left your kitchen, you knowing you did everything possible as far as cleanliness. Now it has gone to a kitchen (house) you don't know the cleanliness. You may have had people's fingers in the cake etc. Then it goes back and oh jeez, you get a call saying there is a hair or something else in it. But you know that it is not yours!!!!! I think you did the wise thing. I wouldn't have touched that one know matter how much she wanted to pay!!! Just my own opinion!
Lu
Ahhh, people...ya gotta LOVE 'em!...lol...I am always amazed at people and the things they come up with.
Then it goes back and oh jeez, you get a call saying there is a hair or something else in it. But you know that it is not yours!!!!! I think you did the wise thing. I wouldn't have touched that one know matter how much she wanted to pay!!! Just my own opinion!
Lu
You're right...I hadn't thought about that! I change my answer....I wouldn't do it. 
I agree with Lu. With all of the court issues out there of people suing somebody on the stupidest thing-"That coffee was hot when it spilt on me!
I'm suing McDonald's!"-how stupid can you get-did she expect the coffee to be cold?-Anyway, who knows what she would have said if she did find something in it? Not from your kitchen, of course, but from the other places she took it. I sure don't think I would have finished it for her.
I agree 100% with Lu9129. Once it's left your sterile kitchen, it shouldn't be coming back in after Lord knows how many hands/fingers have been near it.
Talk about "double-dipping", yuck.
Of course you're right- I guess I'm too trusting and I didn't even think of that 
Thank goodness for opinion and debate! I still don't think it's so horrible that she asked though...some people just don't know any better.
Amber
The party was held at a movie theater.. a lot of kids in attendance and some parents. I got home pretty late that day.. around 7pm.. and didnt want to call her then. I thought about it the next day.. but was afraid of what the cake might look like and how much work might be needed to fix it. You are all right about the health issues too.. didn't even think of those YIKES!
oh man, If I would've been home to take that call, I think that I would've fell over laughing and hung up!
I really am at a loss for words. That's just....wierd?
It's amazing what people expect. I would have been glad to miss that phone call too.
Michele
i disagree with most of you....first of all...
no kitchen is sterile no matter how much lysol you use.
how is it double dipping if the cake was cut and serverd? now if someone sat with the cake and ate from it with a fork then that is different.
if she had so much cake left over, what you could have done was cut off a little of the edges to "clean" it up, if you were that worried about double dipping....re decorate the cake for her and charge her....nothing wrong with that....its her choice and her family...its the same if you did that for your family. i would have done it for a cost.
I would avoid it also just for liability reasons. But do the good customer service thing and follow up after the family party is sure to be over with an "I'm sorry, it was terribly late when I got your message and I thought it rude to call back so late at night and bother you, but I wanted to let you know I got your message, and i hope everything went ok with your family party even though I wasn't able to touch up the cake for you. I'm so glad you had plenty for both celebrations. How lucky for you. Etc." At least she knows you got the message and have an excuse for being very busy and not being able to come. (If you don't have an excuse, make up a good one.) But at least a returned phone call will let her know that you care--even though you really don't want to touch this with a 10 foot pole--and may go far for PR. (Can you tell I've worked in PR and have had to fix a few customer's feelings?) You can have things your way and still have a happy customer too. You just have to do it right!
I would avoid it also just for liability reasons. But do the good customer service thing and follow up after the family party is sure to be over with an "I'm sorry, it was terribly late when I got your message and I thought it rude to call back so late at night and bother you, but I wanted to let you know I got your message, and i hope everything went ok with your family party even though I wasn't able to touch up the cake for you. I'm so glad you had plenty for both celebrations. How lucky for you. Etc." At least she knows you got the message and have an excuse for being very busy and not being able to come. (If you don't have an excuse, make up a good one.) But at least a returned phone call will let her know that you care--even though you really don't want to touch this with a 10 foot pole--and may go far for PR. (Can you tell I've worked in PR and have had to fix a few customer's feelings?) You can have things your way and still have a happy customer too. You just have to do it right!
fantastic and professional way to handle this matter! Thank you for posting from your experiences. 
would have charged a "resurfacing fee"!!!
Amber
"Resurfacing fee" ... Lovin' it!
No, I absolutely would NOT have done this. You did the right thing. I would call her NOW, though, tell her you're sorry you were not available and didn't get her message until quite late.... Happy she was so pleased with your work.... Thankx for considering me to do this for you.... for future reference, I just cannot work on a cake once it's left my kitchen and come back .... sure you understand .... health and cleanliness issues, you know .... looking forward to working for her in the future.
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